Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Analysis of stomach contents from the black-browed albatross, Thalassarche melanophris, on the Coast of Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brazil

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Polar Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The black-browed albatross, Thalassarche melanophris, travels along the southern coast of Brazil during migration. Their numbers appear to have decreased in recent years. From July 1997 to 1998, we carried out monthly surveys on the coast of Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brazil, to count albatrosses in the area and identify ingested items. We found 85 dead specimens of T. melanophris, from which 35 stomachs were collected and the contents analyzed. Nearly 6% of the stomachs contained fish, 32% contained cephalopods and 9% contained crustaceans. About 69% of the stomachs contained nematodes and nematomorphs. The highest abundance values found per stomach was 182 nematode individuals and 223 nematomorph individuals. Synthetic materials were present in 29% of the stomachs analyzed, comprising thermoplastic, nylon, rubber and metal wire.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alexander K, Robertson G, Gales R (1997) The incidental mortality of Albatrosses in longline fisheries. Australian Antarctic Division, Tasmania

  • Arata J, Robertson G, Valencia J, Lawton K (2003) The Evangelistas Islets, Chile: a new breeding site for black-browed albatrosses. Polar Biol 26:697–690

    Google Scholar 

  • Barber RT, Chavez FP (1983) Biological consequences of El Niño. Science 22:1203–1210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barón PJ, Ré ME (2002) Reproductive cycle and population structure of Loligo sanpaulensis of the Northeastern coast of Patagonia. Bull Mar Sci 71:175–186

    Google Scholar 

  • BirdLife International (2005) Thalassarche melanophris. In: IUCN 2006. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. http://www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 23 May 2006

  • Brooke M (2004) Albatrosses and petrels across the world. Oxford University Press, Oxford pp 499

    Google Scholar 

  • Cadée GC (2002) Seabirds and floating plastic debris. Mar Poll Bull 44:1294–1295

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cairns DK (1987) Seabirds as indicators of marine food supplies. Biol Oceanogr 5:261–271

    Google Scholar 

  • Cervigón F (1993) Los peces marinos de Venezuela, vol. 2. Fundación Científica Los Roques, Caracas,Venezuela. p 497

  • Clarke MR (1986) Handbook for the identification of cephalopod beaks. Clarendon Press, Phymouth

    Google Scholar 

  • Croxall JP (2004) The potential effects of marine habitat change on antarctic seabirds. Ibis 146(Suppl 1):90–91

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Croxall JP, Prince PA (1996) Cephalopods as prey 1. Seabirds. Phil Trans R Soc Lond B. 351:1023–1043

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Croxall JP, Mccann TS, Prince PA, Rothery P (1988) Reproductive performance of seabirds and seals at South Georgia and Signy Island, South Orkney Islands, 1976–87: implications for Southern Ocean monitoring studies. In: Sahrhage D (ed) Antarctic ocean and resources variability. Springr, Berlin Heidelberg New York pp 261–285

    Google Scholar 

  • Fontana CS, Bencke GA, Reis R E (2003) Livro Vermelho da Fauna Ameaçada de Extinção no Rio Grande do Sul. Edipucrs, Porto Alegre, Brasil

  • Gales R (1998) Albatross populations: status and threats. In: Robertson G, Gales R (eds) Albatross biology and conservation. Surrey Beatty & Sons, Chipping Norton pp 20–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Haimovici M, Perez AA (1991) Coastal cephalopod fauna of Southern Brazil. Bull Mar Sci 49:221–230

    Google Scholar 

  • Haimovici M, Martins AS, Vieira PC (1996) Distribution and abundance of demersal bony fishes in the continental shelf of southern Brazil. Rev Bras Biol 56(1):27–50

    Google Scholar 

  • Huin N, Prince PA, Briggs DR (2000) Chick provisioning rates and groth in black-browed albatross Diomedea melanophrys and Grey-headed Albatrosss D. chrysostoma at Bird Island, South Georgia. Ibis 142:550–565

    Google Scholar 

  • Kenyon KW (1969) Laysan albatrosses swallow indigestible matter. Auk 86:339–343

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawton K, Robertson G, Valencia J, Wienecke B, Kirkwood R (2003) The status of black-browed albatrosses Thalassarche melanophrys at Diego de Almagro Island, Chile. Ibis 145:502–505

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Menezes NA, Figueiredo JL (1980) Manual de Peixes Marinhos do Sudeste do Brasil. III-Teleostei. Museu de Zoologia, São Paulo, Brasil

  • Ministério do Meio Ambiente (2005) Lista Nacional das Espécies da Fauna Brasileira Ameaçadas de Extinção. Downloaded from http://www.mma.gov.br/port/sbf/fauna/index.cfm on 5/25/2005

  • Nesis KN (1987) Cephalopods of the world; squids, cuttlefishes, octopuses, and allies. TFH Publications, Neptune City p 351

    Google Scholar 

  • Neves TS, Olmos F, Pepes FV (2003) Plano de Ação Nacional para a Conservação de Albatrozes e Petréis. Downloaded from http://www.projetoalbatroz.com.br/plano1 on 5/25/2005

  • Olmos F (1997) Seabirds attending bottom long-line fishing off southeastern Brazil. Ibis 139:685–691

    Google Scholar 

  • Olmos F, Bastos GCC, Neves TS (2001) Pesca no céu: a morte de aves em espinhéis no Brasil. Ciência Hoje 29:24–32

    Google Scholar 

  • Petry MV, Fonseca VSS (2002) Effects of human activities in the marine environment on seabirds along the coast of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Ornitol Neotrop 13:137–142

    Google Scholar 

  • Petry MV, Fonseca VSS, Sander M (2001) Food habits of the royal albatross, Diomedea epomophora (Lesson, 1825), at the seacoast of Brazil. Acta Biol Leopol 23:207–212

    Google Scholar 

  • Pettit TN, Grant GS, Whittow GC (1981) Ingestion of plastics by Laysan Albatross. Auk 98:839–841

    Google Scholar 

  • Poncet S, Robertson G, Phillips RA, Lawton K, Phalan B, Trathan PN, Croxall JP (2006) Status and distribution of wandering, black-browed and grey-headed albatrosses breeding at South Georgia. Polar Bio. DOI 10.1007/s00300-006-0114-9

  • Prince PA, Morgan RA (1987) Diet and feeding ecology of Procellariiformes. In: Croxall JP (eds) Seabirds feeding biology and role in marine ecosystems. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge pp 135–171

    Google Scholar 

  • Prince PA, Rothery P, Croxall JP, Wood AG (1994). Population dynamics of black-browed and grey-headed Albatrosses Diomedea melanophrys and D. chrysostoma at Bird Island, south Georgia. Ibis 136:50–71

    Google Scholar 

  • Prince PA, Croxall JP, Trathan PN, Wood AG (1998) The pelagic distribution of South Georgia albatrosses and their relationship with fisheries. In: Roberton G, Gales R (eds) Albatross biology and conservation: Surrey Beatty & Sons, Surrey Beatty & Sons, Chipping Norton pp 137–167

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodhouse PG, Prince PA, Trathan PN, Hatfield EMC, Watkins JL, Bone DG, Murphy EJ, White MG (1996) Cephalopods and mesoscale oceanography at the Antarctic Polar front: satellite tracked predators locate pelagic trophic interactions. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 136:37–50

    Google Scholar 

  • Ryan PG (1987) The effects of ingested plastic on seabirds: correlations between plastic load and body condition. Environ Poll 46:119–125

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan PG (1988) Effects of ingested plastic on seabird feeding: evidence from chickens. Mar Poll Bull 19:125–128

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan PG, Jackson S (1987) The lifespan of ingested plastic particles in seabirds and their effect on digestive efficiency. Mar Poll Bull 18:217–219

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Santos RA, Piatkowski U, Haimovici M (2002) Cephalopod paralarvae around tropical seamounts and oceanic islands of the north-eastern coast of Brazil. Bull Mar Sci 71(1):313–330

    Google Scholar 

  • Schiavini A, Frere E, Yorio P, Parera A (1999) Anales del Instituto de la Patagonia. Ser Cienc Nat 27:25–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Sick H (1997) Ornitologia Brasileira. Nova Fronteira, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

  • Tickell WLN, Pinder R (1975) Breeding biology of the black-browed albatross Diomedea melanophrys and the grey-headed Albatross D. chrysostoma at bird Island, South Georgia. Ibis 119:433–445

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Franeker JT (1985) Plastic ingestion in the North Atlantic Fulmar. Mar Poll Bull 16:367–369

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vlietstra LS, Parga JA (2002) Long-term changes in the type, but not amount, of ingested plastic particles in short-tailed shearwaters in the southeastern Bering Sea. Mar Poll Bull 44:945–955

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weimerskirch H, Guionnet T (2002) Comparative activity pattern during foraging of four albatross species. Ibis 144:40–50

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weimerskirch H, Jouventin P, Mougin JL, Stahl JC, Van Beveren M (1985) Banding recoveries and the dispersion of seabirds breeding in French austral and Antarctic territories. Emu 85:22–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weimerskirch H, Mougey T, Hindermeyer X (1997) Foraging and provisioning strategies of black-browed albatrosses in relation to the requirements of the chick: natural variation and experimental study. Behav Ecol 8:635–643

    Google Scholar 

  • Xavier JC, Croxall JP, Reid K (2003) Interannual variation in the diets of two albatross species breeding at South Georgia: implications for breeding performance. Ibis 145:593–610

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors thank UNISINOS/UNESCO-MAB for the financial support and all the colleagues at the Laboratório de Ornitologia e Animais Marinhos for their support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratório de Ornitologia e Animais Marinhos, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, Av. Unisinos, 950, CEP: 93022-000, São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Maria Virginia Petry, Vanda Simone da Silva Fonseca & Angelo Luís Scherer

Authors
  1. Maria Virginia Petry
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Vanda Simone da Silva Fonseca
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Angelo Luís Scherer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maria Virginia Petry.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Petry, M.V., Fonseca, V.S.S. & Scherer, A.L. Analysis of stomach contents from the black-browed albatross, Thalassarche melanophris, on the Coast of Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brazil. Polar Biol 30, 321–325 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-006-0186-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-006-0186-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation